Warriors: The Story of Maplestar Book I
by Maplestar of RainClan
Summary: When Copperstar, RainClan's leader, comes across an abandoned RiverClan kit during the bitter cold of leaf-bare, she takes the kit in, not knowing that this kit may be the strongest warrior of them all. Bad summary, please read and review.


Author's Note: Ok, I know there is already a story with RainClan in it, and no, i am _not_ stealing it, I've had this Clan name for quite a while. It's hard to find Clan names that arent already taken.

**Prologue—**

Cold gripped the she-cat, her fur not being able to protect her much from the bitter wind chill. It was leaf-bare and times were tough for all the Clans, especially RainClan's neighboring Clan, RiverClan, who had been ambushed by ShadowClan, forcing healthy warriors to hunt day in and day out for the wounded and sick, mostly in vain. This evening, RainClan's leader, Copperstar was on patrol with one of the senior warriors, a red colored tom named Redfur. The two cats were finishing up the patrol when Redfur saw something that caught his eye.

"Copperstar, take a look at this." Redfur meowed, straying from the leader's side, staring down at the snow-covered ground. The leader looked up at the warrior and walked to him, seeing he had picked up the strange thing.

Once Copperstar had walked to Redfur's side, she had seen he had picked up a small, light colored tortoiseshell kit, shivering and crying for food and a warm place. Copperstar leaned to the kit and sniffed it; only one word came to her mind. "RiverClan," she whispered, feeling slight sympathy; Redfur simply hissed and put the kit back, making Copperstar scold the brick colored tom. "What are you doing, Redfur? You know the code, never leave a kit behind." Copperstar hissed at him then added, "RiverClan or not."

Redfur's gaze turned to the kit; his selfish look melted as the kit squirmed to his paw, nuzzling it. The tom bent down and picked up the kit by the scruff, receiving a small protest. Copperstar nodded in approval and the two walked back to the camp.

The RainClan camp was calm during this time of year, the majority of the warriors usually stayed in the den, while some of the younger warriors hunted until sunset to feed the elders and queens. When the two cats return, they got several greetings and confused looks; Copperstar nodded to Redfur and climbed on to the Highrock, calling to her warriors.

Copperstar was a golden tabby with pale green eyes, though some of her fur was beginning to tinge with gray with her aging, her ear was torn to two, making it fold to the side, her body was covered in scars, along with a she had gotten across her muzzle, her pale eyes, cold as ice though they had warmth rarely in them.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather under Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Her voice echoed though the camp, waking the resting cats from the den, and walking slowly and clumsily to their leader. Redfur who had gotten a better grip on the kit and jumped on the rock to join her and her deputy, Cinderfeather.

The cats looked up at the three figures, their ears pricked, eager to hear what their leader of several moons had to say. Only until all the cats gathered and sat in front of Highrock, Copperstar spoke. "As many of you know, leaf-bare is the hardest time for all Clans, harder for some then others," she started, then lifted her head to StarClan, her eyes closed. "Also, you may know RiverClan has been ambushed by ShadowClan day earlier; which led me and Redfur to find this lone kit." Copperstar looked to the warrior, holding his head up high to show the kit to the Clan; many of the cats hissed and snarled questioningly.

"Copperstar, do you not remember what RiverClan has done to RainClan when our ancestors lived? How dare you bring this… this pest into our Clan!" Ravenwing, a black elder, her fur tinged with gray at her old age, snarled, receiving hisses in agreement.

Copperstar sighed. "Ravenwing, you know the code as well as I do, even more so, _never_ leave a kit to suffer," she paused a bit, and added emphasis "RiverClan or _not_!" This silenced the cats. "Then it's settled, does anyone know a queen that is willing to nurse this kit?"

"Breezetail should, she lost one of her kits to greencough this sunhigh." Spoke Runningfoot, a pale gray tom, who happened to be Breezetail's mate. The leader nodded and turned her head to Redfur.

"Redfur, bring this kit to Breezetail." Redfur nodded and jumped off Highrock, holding the crying kit in his mouth, heading to the nursery. He squeezed his way into the small entryway, the making his way to a silver tabby, with two kits nuzzled to her belly, suckling happily.

She looked at him as he gently placed the kit at her feet. "I know it'll never replace Silverkit…but…" Before Redfur could finish, Breezetail picked up the kit and bought it to her belly, then wrapping her tail around the three cats.

"No kit deserves to die in this terrible weather." She meowed softly. Redfur couldn't help but smile as the kit's cry of hungry ended, he licked Breezetail's forehead in thanks and headed out to tell the Clan the queen has accepted the kit.

Once Redfur squeezed his way through the nursery, he headed back to the Clan and jumped on HighRock. "Breezetail has accepted to nurse the the kit." He announced and the cats nodded and Copperstar turned to the warrior.

Redfur, a red colored tom was on his way to retirement, his once beautiful unique fur now thin and tinted with gray. He's Copperstar's mate and loyal friend and was there when she was kitted. His golden eyes, showed more warmth in them then his mate's. His tail was half its original length from being bitten off by dogs while crossing Thunderpath.

"Then Redfur, you will be in charge of giving Breezetail food for her milk." She started. "Also, since you have not had any apprentice in a while, you will mentor the kit once she is old enough." Redfur nodded, some pride in his eyes, "Finally, the kit needs a name" she meowed to the Clan, looking down at the mass number of cats and said this only. "Maplekit will be her name." She looked towards StarClan and jumped off of Highrock, retiring to her den.


End file.
